We presume to say of ourselves as generations of super-advanced, rich, and intellectual humans gifted with various privileges that our forefathers could only dream of since we live in the twenty-first century.
However, we often forget that we’d never have made it to the twenty-first century if it hadn’t been for the individuals who lived on the planet long before we were born.
Furthermore, it is critical to emphasize that the physiological and mental benefits of marijuana use were well-known to ancient cultures. In comparison, we are only just beginning to broaden our common understanding, acceptance, and awareness of the use of marijuana for both medical and recreational purposes. It is why it’s essential to learn about the ancient people’s treatment of cannabis plants and how they used them for their spiritual abilities.
Cannabis and Spirituality: It is Written in the Stars…
Looking deeper into the heritage that past civilizations have given for us to learn from is one of the most acceptable ways to change the unfair, nasty, and ruthless cannabis stigma that still lingers in the air.
We should not be stuck in the past and should always be looking for new vistas and new findings, and we cannot overlook the lessons we may learn from the ancients to evolve and progress.
When we are proud to think about ourselves as the millennia who are soon about to tame the water and wind to produce 100% guaranteed clean, green energy, overcome space, and first to have an endless information source available on the verge of becoming extinct.
The divine, invisible energies of the Universe are deeply buried in your awareness, and the only way to learn to tune in to the limitless wisdom of the Universe is via a deeper spiritual understanding.
While the great ancient civilizations lacked access to the cutting-edge technology we have today, they needed access to the most advanced “technologies” that will ever exist.
These “technologies” were never created by humans but have always been in the infinite Cosmos. As it starts turning out, these ancient “technologies” may hold the key to unlocking the secrets of the Heavens. Since it was through these “technologies” that mighty ancient civilizations could comprehend the cycle of Life in a superbly intimate, highly enlightened manner by deciphering the “language” of the Stars, plants, and animals.
Unfortunately, we have overlooked that humans are an integral part of, and not distinct from, living nature. However, the coming decades will teach us that humanity cannot exist without the presence of living nature.
One mistaken plant, the marijuana plant, has been patiently keeping ancient secrets inscribed somewhere in the stars on the search for the long-lost harmony with Mother Nature. However, we have lost sight of the fact that we are little more than stardust.
The five mighty ancient civilizations that were well-versed in the medical and mental benefits of marijuana use may offer us invaluable lessons about spirituality and live in peace, harmony, and balance with animals.
Perhaps more crucially, understanding that these ancient civilizations regarded marijuana as a pure present from nature that served as a portal between the visible and invisible realms can help us understand how you should handle cannabis consumption in our technologically evolved culture. Despite our claims of being technologically advanced, it appears that we are still lagging far behind in our growth, at least when it comes to our spiritual, emotional, and bodily relationships with and attitudes about cannabis.
Marijuana and Spirituality – Teal Swan
Cannabis &the Ancient Scythians
The Scythians had a reputation for being bloodthirsty barbarians. But, the reality is, there’s a lot more to the ancient Scythians than their undeniable reputation as fearsome warriors.
The Scythians were experts at goldsmithing. The Scythian civilization flourished between 900 BC until 200 BC, originally inhabited what is now Southern Siberia. Some of the world’s most renowned historians believe that their exquisite golden artwork significantly impacted ancient European and Chinese art.
The Scythians were recognized for more than only their magnificent golden wonders. The Scythians were the ones who brought cannabis from Central Asia to Egypt and Eastern Europe. As a result, some experts joke that the Scythians were the first cannabis traffickers.
Cannabis is an essential aspect of the Scythian belief structure since investigations have shown that soothsayers utilized it to achieve a trance-like state and perform divination.
Archeologists discovered a stockpile of marijuana in an ancient Scythian burial, providing more convincing evidence of the Scythians’ awareness and admiration of marijuana. According to historians, the marijuana stash was discovered just close to the buried guy’s head, who suggest the Scythians chose this location because they believed pot would help the man cross into the afterlife.
It’s worth noting that the Scythians’ funeral customs were quite sophisticated. If no objects or items were infused with a deep, profoundly spiritual significance, they could not be included in someone’s burial. For example, archeologists discovered 400 horses buried in a geometric design at the grave of a Scythian nobility. Mourners would frequently cut off pieces of their ears as a symbol of their grief.
Furthermore, a description of a ceremony that is only reasonable to regard as the most primitive hotboxing style can be found in one of Herodotus’ excellent works concerning the Scythians.
According to Herodotus’ writings, the Scythians often toss various pieces of the cannabis plant over red-hot stones shortly after a funeral. They did so in a unique way that resulted in so much vapor that Herodotus claimed that no Greek vapor-bath could ever match it. Finally, due to their native vapor-bath, or the most ancient method of cannabis hotboxing, the Scythians would “howl in joy” or “shout out.” Doesn’t this clarify how they could tolerate the discomfort of chopping off pieces of their ears as a symbol of mourning?
Cannabis and the Ancient Thracians
The historical Thracians once occupied broad swaths of what is now Eastern and Southern Europe. The Thracians are one of the least explored civilizations, although they are one of the world’s oldest civilizations, dating back to 10000 BC and retaining their dominance until the 1st century AD.
While the Thracians were known for being fearsome, ruthless warriors, they were also spiritually enlightened.
To give you an example, did you know that the Thracians are said to have invented the world’s earliest writing system?
Indeed, the Thracians were technologically advanced, at least according to the findings of recent excavations in the Valley of the Thracian Kings in Central Bulgaria, Eastern Europe.
The homeland of rare golden jewels discovered in Varna’s Black Sea Coastal city is where the Thracians’ culture has reached its most brilliant years. The Varna Gold Treasure, estimated to be 7000 years of age, is still the world’s oldest gold.
The golden artifacts were so well-crafted that scholars were baffled how an ancient culture with such little resources could produce such magnificent, humorous works of art. There’s something more remarkable about the Thracians’ golden treasure, so that’s the fact that every piece was meticulously crafted to follow the geometric designs of the number Pi – the Universe’s magical number.
Because they had superior astrological knowledge, the Thracians did not settle and create their capital in just any region. The Thracians had something special in mind when they chose Central Bulgaria. Some historians believe the Thracians’ settlement in former Mysia (now-days central Bulgaria) had something to do with the legacy of the Varna Golden Treasure.
Experts think that when they produced the golden artworks of the Varna Gold Treasure, a mysterious, essential message to future generations was encoded in pure gold.
The ancient Thracians mourned when a child was born because they thought humans came to Earth with a mission that they could not accomplish without pain. On the other hand, the Thracians would grin when they had to bury someone because they believed that once a man died, his spirit would finally enter a paradise of boundless delight where suffering did not exist — the afterlife world.
Palamarev discovered the oldest surviving cannabis seed fossils in the territories of Bulgaria, once inhabited by the ancient Thracians. They created the fossil between 7.5 and 5.3 million years ago!
The Thracian kapnobatai symbolizes the historical association with cannabis. It means “some who walk in/on smoke,” “some who walk in/on clouds,” or “those who walk in/on clouds of smoke.” The kapnobatai refused to eat anything alive, and their diet consisted mainly of honey and milk. They smoked cannabis on purpose to reach greater levels of consciousness. They were treated as though they were saints.
Cannabis and the Ancient Egyptians
Most marijuana enthusiasts were keen and eager to know the hidden truth behind the ancient Civilizations, which they regarded cannabis as sacred.
Many cannabis connoisseurs are well aware that calling Egyptians big stoners would not be a lie. Apart from the amusement value of debating the ancient Egyptians’ usage of marijuana, it is critical to note that the Egyptians genuinely laud the plant. They had a thorough understanding of its therapeutic and spiritual benefits.
Like the Scythians and Thracians, the ancient Egyptians considered the afterlife a crucial part of their lives (or the end of their existence as mortal people on Earth and the beginning of their life as immortals).
That is why the pharaohs spent all their time preparing until the day when they would finally be able to go on their journey through the afterlife. And, guess that which cannabis played an essential role in this adventure.
Marijuana pollen has been discovered in the mummy of Ramesses II (dated from 1231 BCE), but it is not the only evidence of marijuana in ancient Egypt. Egyptians were known to consume cannabis, according to many old Roman and Egyptian sources.
They wrote one of the earliest writings detailing the medical uses of cannabis around Kemet in the year 2000 BC. Cannabis is particularly effective in cataracts treatment and sore eyes in ancient texts.
What’s more intriguing is that the ancient Egyptians valued cannabis’ mental benefits as well. According to Diodorus Siculus, Egyptian women used cannabis to heal sadness and bad moods.
The Egyptian goddess of learning, knowledge, and wisdom – Seshat – is shown in ancient engravings with a marijuana leaf directly above her head regarding the spiritual benefits of cannabis.
The truth is that they widely distributed cannabis across Egypt, and it was not confined to the pharaohs or even other members of Egyptian society’s upper strata. Cannabis use was so widespread in Egypt that the Roman emperor Aurelian levied a tax on it in the third century AD. Well, that didn’t work out so well because levying a tax on a plant that grows typically in plenty has always been and will always be absurd.
The Egyptians were well-versed in the psychoactive properties of marijuana and the many beneficial uses of low-psychoactive marijuana plants (both psychoactive plants and low-psychoactive plants belong to the cannabis family). Hemp was used to making clothing and paper, among other things.
Cannabis and the Ancient Persians
The text produced by Zoroaster is one of the most sacred books of ancient Persia. The Zenda-Avesta is not just one of the finest examples of Persian literature, compiled in the 7th century BC, but it was also transcribed on 1200 cowhides, containing approximately 2 million verses!
Marijuana is referenced explicitly in the Zenda-Avesta when it comes to marijuana in ancient Persia. In the ancient Zenda-Avesta literature, marijuana is referred to as a “good narcotic.”
According to Professor Mirceau Eliade, one of the world’s foremost experts on religious history, there is a strong possibility that Zoroaster himself used marijuana to bridge the “metaphysical gap” of consciousness and construct the legendary ancient Persian scripture Zenda-Avesta. So, suppose somebody tries to convince you that marijuana makes you stupid. In that case, you can point them to Zoroaster, who was most likely high when compiling parts of the great Zenda-Avenda literature.
In addition, they use marijuana in Islamic Persia. The first individual to find cannabis in Islamic Persia is the subject of fascinating mythology. It is how the narrative goes.
Haydar spent ten years in a Persian monastery. Haydar became depressed one day. Haydar’s melancholy and lousy attitude was so bad that he opted to wander the fields since he didn’t want to talk to any monks.
While his other monks were concerned about his health, Haydar appeared entirely different when he returned. Haydar was known for being reclusive and grumpy, and he was known for refusing to let anyone into his chamber. However, he appeared to be as cheerful as before following his solo walk across the fields.
The monks couldn’t help but wonder what had caused such a drastic change in Haydar’s morose demeanor, which his severe depression had heightened on that particular day. When they inquired about what had happened, Haydar explained that he had eaten the leaves of a “strange plant.” When Haydar first observed the plant, it was “dancing” in the glare of the sun, according to him.
Haydar agreed to show the monks the uncommon, magical plant if they decided not to tell anyone who wasn’t a Sufi. This odd plant, as you may have guessed, was cannabis.
Haydar requested that cannabis seeds encircle his grave after he died. His final request was for his spirit to be free to roam in the shadow of the beautiful plant that had brought him so much happiness.
The truth is that cannabis, specifical hashish, had been commonly used by Arabs for decades before Haydar was ever born.
Cannabis and the Ancient Chinese
The Chinese, like the ancient Egyptians, used both psychoactive and non-psychoactive cannabis kinds. Hemp was a popular crop in ancient China, where it was grown for almost 4000 years and used to make paper, clothes, and bowstrings, among other things.
Marijuana plants were also a valuable food source for the ancient Chinese, who employed very nutritious seeds in various dishes.
Nonetheless, marijuana was prized for its medical benefits. Sadly, only a few indigenous marijuana-based ancient Chinese recipes have survived today, owing to the perishability of the substances on which the natives’ marijuana knowledge was stored.
Evidence for how the ancient Chinese took advantage of the psychotropic qualities of cannabis usage is likewise limited.
However, a group of archeologists led by Hongen Jiang, a specialist from the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ University, produced a significant discovery on the subject. As part of a burial shroud, they discovered 13 cannabis plants that were 2500 years old.
In addition, the archeologists discovered three more tombs in the same cemetery, each with cannabis seeds, stems, fruits, and leaves buried among the buried people. These remarkable finds, according to researchers, prove that the ancient Chinese used cannabis for its hallucinogenic effects as well, which is why they include the marijuana plants in the afterlife things of their loved ones.
5 Mighty Ancient Civilizations that Used Cannabis: Final Thoughts
There are so many lovely yet little-known facts about cannabis that it appears like a lifetime would be insufficient to comprehend the true significance and many applications of the diverse cannabis plants.
Even though we are still trying to sort through the plethora of highly polarized information about cannabis use despite being fed ugly lies for over a century, it appears that the snowball effect of legalizing marijuana is unstoppable and that people’s acceptance and awareness of the ancient herb is destined to expand and flourish soon.
We frequently forget about the many magnificent advantages of this unique era because of the fast speed of life, which marks both the benefits and drawbacks of living in the twenty-first century. A few of these blessings are the ability to cultivate our marijuana plants.
It was exceedingly difficult to get your hands on high-quality seeds just a decade ago, and picturing the luxury of being able to pick and choose which strains you wanted to produce was nothing more than a distant fantasy that looked too fantastic to be true. But take a look at how far we’ve now!
It’s never been easier to choose the best cannabis kinds to produce; in fact, it’s just a click away. So, while we still have a long way to go until society is finally rid of the cannabis stigma, we have already accomplished far more than our fellow cannabis connoisseurs from the golden 1970s could have imagined.
As a result, we are also accountable for what we do with the independence and advantages we have gained, and it is always helpful to remember that we can also give a lot back. By cultivating cannabis, each of us may contribute in our unique way to restoring much-needed balance and deepening the ancient bond with the living environment.
Despite being stigmatized for far too long in our modern society, we may learn from the mighty ancient civilizations who used cannabis for spiritual and medicinal purposes that marijuana plants can be excellent teachers, lovers, and friends. It is not required for everyone to consume marijuana, but society must treat individuals with tolerance, respect, and understanding. While knowing where cannabis came from, how it spread, and how past civilizations used cannabis is not required, it is only through education that we can become more excellent people capable of constructing a better future.
